KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen believes it is not too late for Leong Jun Hao (pic) to become one of the world’s top players, even though he is now 25 years old.
Jun Hao has been part of the national squad for a long time but has not achieved significant results due to struggles with injuries.
However, his strong form since last year, which saw him rise to 28th in the world rankings this year, has opened up more opportunities to compete in higher-tier tournaments.
He lost to Weng Hongyang of China in the second round of the Indian Open but not before gaining a huge confidence boost by defeating world No. 6 Li Shifeng of China in the opening match.
Jonassen believes the process will take time, and he is pleased with the progress made by the Kuala Lumpur lad.
“Winning against the world No. 6 (Shifeng) is a great result. Remember, Jun Hao is currently ranked 28th. It’s a great development and opportunity to gain experience in different competitions.
“We had time to sit down and talk a bit, but the main focus is that he has already shown he can compete at the highest level.
“For me, it’s about composure and trusting in your own ability, while also understanding your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s a continuous development process, and I think he’s had some good experiences and made some good moves,” said Jonassen.
Jun Hao will have the opportunity to avenge his defeat to Hongyang when he takes on the world No. 21 again in the first round of the Indonesian Masters next week.
“It’s the toughest journey for any player trying to move up once you’re in the top 32 in the world.
“Every match you play is against world class players, so you can’t lower your level.
“It’s about belief, trusting in your ability, and then, step by step, learning from the small things you need to improve for the next match. So, overall, we had a good talk last week.
“I can’t explain everything, of course, but for me, it’s about building confidence. We know we have to work hard, but it’s also about believing that, when you’re up against top players, you can make a difference,” he added.
